Cross Effects 3.0 - November 16, 2014—April 13, 2015

[Umbra of Chaos]

Ann

A look of bemusement crossed Death's face as the car came to a halt barely an inch away from her. She paid no heed to the truck that was waiting behind the car but she did grant the serious looking boy who had moved out of the car a single wink before returning her attention to the driver.

Ann's gaze drifted from the brown haired man to the not quite spirit near him. Its eyes almost appeared as if they were gouged out, blood poured from its chest, and its hair had the same color as the liquid that poured from the entity's chest. Her grey eyes focused on the being of death and a smile crept up her features. She broadcasted a mental message that would be interpreted as, "I can see you. Both of you. It would be easier for all of us if you stepped out of the vehicle."

She moved back a bit so he could open the door and waited for the man with brown hair to come out.

[Elf]

Forest

Forest laughed as Mia looked for the source of Dio pouring out of her speakers.  She made sure that the Firebird was behind her as she started to drive to Saber's location.  The blond looked at the girl with a laugh and said, "There's no tiny man singing to you.  See, what happened is this tiny man with a very epic voice sang this song and it was recorded with the help of Science, which is sort of like magic!  So the copy of the song is put into many things around the world just so people can hear how awesome Dio is, may the Morrigan bless his heavy metal soul.  The song is brought to life again with more Science and comes out through those tiny holes there."

The blond pointed to the speakers as she shifted, turning. 

They were entering a more crowded area and she approached a stop light when she noticed that the Firebird wasn't following her anymore.  "'Hell's Bells," she groused as she saw a young woman standing in front of the stopped Firebird and traffic starting to stop behind it.  A woman holding a scythe.

"Bloody hell," the blond muttered before looking at Mia and saying, "Sweeting, don't talk like me, its bad."  Then she whipped the car into a perfect parallel parking job before killing the engine and stowing the keys in the remainder of her jeans.  "Stay here," she said before locking the cars and heading out to where the car was stopped and more commotion was appearing.

"Saber is going to be insufferable," the blond said to herself before approaching the woman with the scythe and clearing her throat. 

Before she could make a quip about Shirou trying to shoot that woman too, Forest noticed that the scythe bearer's attention was on Law and not Calico.  There was something about her.  Something that made Forest want to bow to her, to take her in her arms and dance in the street with her.  Something familiar, comforting, and something she was all too familiar with.  Ice knotted up in her stomach as she asked, "Hey, aren't you suppose to be a cute Goth girl?"


Saber

The blond nodded at Rin's words then frowned.  Saber had no idea what did this; she just needed to know what she needed to wield her sword against.  Her mind was not one for puzzles and riddles such as this. 

Archer would have pondered the why of the situation for the briefest of moments before moving on to try to track it.  However Saber was no tracker.  She was a warrior and had been a king.  She upheld justice and protected those who could not protect themselves from the things in the dark that could devour them.

Like this, she thought, shaking her head.

Then she looked at Henry, Rin, and the other person who annoyed her ever so slightly.  She could hear Forest's voice in her head saying that she should now his name and use it, that slightly scolding voice somewhere between a teacher and a mother.  The former king realized what was wrong and scowled.

"Instead of trying to figure out what did this, can we try to find it?" Saber asked, before looking at Rin and the other man.  "Rin, could you perhaps try to track him with thamautagy?   Or you, do you not have sorcery of your own?"

Near the Vampire District

"She's looking for something."

"That's bloody obvious, Slayer, but what?"

"She searches for her Kindred, even though they are not Clan."

"She's looking for other vampires.  I think we can indulge her."

"And maybe take her shopping?  I mean look at that outfit.  Geeze, I know you guys are from Ye Olden Times but at least Angel has a sense of style."

There were four of them.  A tiny blond frozen in her late teens dressed fashionably but sensibly, a bleached blond Brit full of swagger, cigarettes, and a black leather duster stolen from the dead, a mad seer with long raven hair and eyes like midnight, and their cruel and monstrous leader with the face of an angel. and dementedly artistic flare.  The eldest of the group had been killed weeks ago, but she hadn't been their leader.  Hadn't been for some time.

The Brit pointed with his cigarette towards the almost non-descriptive vampire below their perch and said, "What if she's a bloody Judas like the bitch who offed Darla?"

"I think I need to send her a thank you card," the blond girl said with a grin, her green eyes flashing.

Their leader, who towered over the other three, smirked and said, "Buff, jealousy really doesn't suit you."

"Please, she was the one jealous of me," she said with a snort and grin.

The mad seer shook her head, red velvet skirts swaying as she danced.  "No, she does not bring death with her, but unity.  Uniting us all for God's great plan."  Then she laughed, a retched tittering sound.

The tall, dark and handsome leader sighed, shook his head and said, "That's worse."

"Should we introduce ourselves?" the blond asked, "Or maybe I should tell Deacon to keep a heads up?"

"Those are fighting words, Slayer," the Brit said with a chuckle before flicking the stub of his cigarette away.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Ann

A look of bemusement crossed Death's face as the car came to a halt barely an inch away from her. She paid no heed to the truck that was waiting behind the car but she did grant the serious looking boy who had moved out of the car a single wink before returning her attention to the driver.

Ann's gaze drifted from the brown haired man to the not quite spirit near him. Its eyes almost appeared as if they were gouged out, blood poured from its chest, and its hair had the same color as the liquid that poured from the entity's chest. Her grey eyes focused on the being of death and a smile crept up her features. She broadcasted a mental message that would be interpreted as, "I can see you. Both of you. It would be easier for all of us if you stepped out of the vehicle."

She moved back a bit so he could open the door and waited for the man with brown hair to come out.

I have a bad feeling about this

She can see us. She is like me and you but not. Do not underestimate her. Do not anger her. I want to learn what she is... the Driver's voice full of the popping hiss of cordite and gunpowder reached Lawrence's ear, his body shivering as he rolled down the window.

"The hell is your problem!? I almost hit you!"

[Kat]

Deborah

Her journey continued. She searched  the city without clear directions for others of her kind, her Beast supressed through Obfuscate, but not wasting her blood to appear mortal. Human crowds did not pay mind to her anyway as long as she would not do something that felt dangerous. Mingling with the sheep without a specific objective in mind was not her style.

Entering one of streets, she felt as if someone observed her. Deborah did not know exactly the source of this premonition, but felt little spooked. 

[Umbra of Chaos]

Ann

As Ann waited for the man to exit the vehicle another thing caught her attention. A blonde woman with striking eyes who was not alive. Her soul was still bound to its body in a way that stopped her from casually ripping it out but the woman was most definitely dead. Or at least her body was.

"Hey, aren't you suppose to be a cute Goth girl?"

Ann gave a small smirk at the question and for an instant her gaze shifted towards the undead woman. "I can be many things to many people but I'm sure I can find out what I will be to you later." Her voice was filled with amusement as she spoke until her attention was once more devoted towards the curiosity as he spoke.

"The hell is your problem!? I almost hit you!"

"Considering that my injuries would have been minimal at best I feel that it was a very good solution. But now you and I need to have a nice chat, Little Death." There was a tinge of seriousness in her voice but for the most part an entertained tone was predominant.

[Elf]

The Fanged Foursome

Drusilla smiled and said, "Look at the lost little lamb . . ."  The crimson tips of her nails began to dance as she sang, "Run and catch, the lamb is lost in the blackberry patch . . ."

Spike lit another cigarette and said, "We could go down, see who's side she's on and whatnot."

"Or I could just kill her," Buffy said, her green eyes dancing as she gripped the stake secured in her jacket.

Angelus put his hand on his progeny's shoulder.  Darla had threw a fit when she found out that he wanted to turn a Slayer.  Then she had become jealous, especially since Buffy made her way into is bed.  Then again, his little Slayer was an elegant, brutal killing machine.  It wasn't art to her, but satisfying a need that being turned had brought out.

"I know you like your instant gratification, Buffy, but let's go down and introduce ourselves," Angelus said, taking her hand and kissing it.  The blond smiled as she moved close, nipping lightly at his knuckles. 

[Kat]

Deborah

Deborah felt for a fleeting moment a flash of killing intent, as if somebody wanted to stab her with a sharp tool. Damn it, I hope I haven't just barged into someone's private hunting grounds she cursed, fearing that she might have ended up in a wrong place in a wrong time. She knew that some of elders were more than paranoid about younger Kindred 'poaching' on their turf. But, at least, it seems she found other vampires again.

[SINIB]

Faust grunted in response to Rider, lost in his own thoughts. Turn here, straight, left, right... They continued to walk for some time, after about an hour Faust stopped, and finally turned to face Rider.

“We’ve arrived.”

They were stood in front of a large imposing brick building with several buttresses of various sizes and chimneys jutting out from the sides and roof.  Snow was lightly falling onto the roof, its pale beauty contrasting the depressing architecture of the building.

“Is there a problem, Rider?”

[Cherry Lover]

Rider followed Caster on the long, dull walk back to the house in silence.

This is why I summoned Pegasus, to save Sakura such a long walk....

Finally, they rounded a corner and, in front of her, Rider saw a very familiar house.

What is that doing here? Is that Sakura's house?

“We’ve arrived", Caster said, confirming Rider's thoughts.

Eh, what? How did it get here? I thought Sakura had it demolished years ago....

“Is there a problem, Rider?” Caster said, noticing Rider's confusion and slight distress.

"This was Sakura's 'family' house, once, before she moved in with Shirou. I don't understand how it got here, or why she would be living in it. In my world, Sakura had the house torn down years ago. It has too many bad memories for her."

[SINIB]

Faust shrugged with a look of boredom.
 
"I assume it got here the same way we all got here. I don't really know for certain why she chose to live here, but if I had to hazard a guess, it would be because it's a connection to home. She often goes to search for Shirou, even though she knows it's futile, you know."

---------------------------------------
Sakura stirred in her sleep.

"Sempai..." She murmered with a smile.

[Cherry Lover]

Rider smiled on hearing Sakura's cute murmor, before turning to address Caster.

"Well, of course she misses home. At home she is surrounded by people who love her, and who she loves. Especially Shirou.... But, this house does not represent any of that. Quite the opposite, in fact. This house is a reminder of a time when she didn't have that happy life", Rider said, somewhat sadly.

"Anyway, we should get her to bed, and let her dream sweet dreams of Shirou in peace. Does she still sleep in her former room upstairs, or has she chosen a better one?" she continued.

[SINIB]

“I’m not sure if it’s the same room, I think it is? She definitely sleeps upstairs, I’ll show you to her room.” Faust entered the house, holding the door for Rider. “ I only met Sakura once we were both pulled into the Nexus, so my knowledge of her past is limited to dreams from the master servant link and some second hand information. I think that having a connection to her old life at all, even a negative one, is comforting in a way to her. Something familiar in a sea of oddities.”

 Faust stopped at a door, and opened it for Rider.

“Here it is. Is this the same room, perchance?”

[Cherry Lover]

Rider followed Faust into the house and up the stairs to Sakura's room. As she approached, she could see Caster stop in front of the room that Sakura had been allocated as a child, and open the door.

The room looked similar to how it had looked when Sakura had lived there during the Grail War, except that it actually looked lived-in, with books and other furniture. There was also a bear lying by the bed, which Rider presumed Sakura would hug whilst sleeping.

"Yes, this was her room when she lived here", she said as she entered the room. "Although, it seems somewhat more.. homely than it was when she last slept here", she added as she approached the bed.

Damn, I can't pull back the covers, Rider thought as she stood by the bed, still holding the sleeping Sakura.

Rider would have liked to have dressed her in her pyjamas as well, but that would require awakening her, and Rider did not wish to disturb Sakura's sleep. If Sakura found it uncomfortable to sleep like this, then she would awaken and change her own outfit.

"Caster, could you please pull back the covers for me? I can't do it holding Sakura like this", she said, waiting for Faust to do as she had asked.

[Knick]

Mia

Mia looked around the car, trying to find were the person that was singing was hiding. So far she had failed. This person was really good at hide and seek.

Then Forest explained it to her, making Mia look at the metal box in wonder. “Wow” She mumbled, it was definitely possible with magic, but she said it was with done with something different. That was amazing.

Then came to a stop and Forest got out of the car to look behind them, causing Mia to fumble with her belt and try and get the door opening. Eventually she succeeded and hopped out of the car.

There was a strange woman near the meanie holding a dangerous weapon. Normally Mia would not care, he was a meanie after all, but Shirou was close by.

She bent over slightly, preparing to pounce incase the woman moved at Shirou.

And at the same time she ignored Silver rumbling within her, begging to be set for so it could rend something resembling one of the first demons, just as it was.


Grenth

Grenth did wonder what to do; he could return to his home and work on his plans for the beast’s soul. He could visit the hospital and make sure his stupid apprentice was now calm.

But he did not feel like either. In all honesty he felt like getting a nice drink. It had been a long time since he had gotten a good drink. Perhaps that was in order.

“I feel like getting a drink in town, it has been a long time and I can use one at the moment.” He took one more look at the ice wall; he might have gone slightly overboard with the density.

He glanced back at Time, “Care to join me?” It was always polite to ask after all. He did interfere with the man’s business.

[SINIB]

Faust followed Rider to the bed, and watched with mild confusion as Rider just stood there. Wha- His thoughts were interrupted when Rider began to speak.

"Caster, could you please pull back the covers for me? I can't do it holding Sakura like this." Rider quietly asked.

Oh. “Ah, sure. No problem.”

Faust softly walked over to the bed, and pulled back the sheets for Rider.